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The Inside Shuffle – NJ Online Gaming Roller Coaster, More Fun at the WSOP, Negreanu in His PJs and More

It’s the end of the week and PokerWorks brings you the latest on the New Jersey online gaming bill, Sam Trickett and Adrew Robl joining the star-cast of The Big One For One Drop, and the World Series of Poker announcing its heart has softened on some of the restrictions.

This edition of The Inside Shuffle also finds Daniel Negreanu ranting in his pajamas, frustrated with some mysterious thing called Zodiak Rights; the dilemma of whether Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer should be forgiven or not; and the latest of PokerWorks' very special promotions – a 3-month long $30K freeroll series on Winner Poker.

New Jersey Online Gaming Off Again?

Although New Jersey Sen. Raymond Lesniak was openly declaring plans of legalized and up-and-running online gaming in the state by this fall, the change of the political climate just might blow it all away. Las Vegas casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson's fight against online poker has reached the eastern shores and is now threatening to take away online poker from the Atlantic City casinos.

Despite the fact that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie decided he was no longer against online gaming after the Department of Justice's ruling that the Wire Act only applied to online betting, his bonds with the Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, and Romney’s biggest sponsor Adelson may turn everything back around. Christie has been recently mentioned as a possible running mate for Romney in this year's election and now needs to gain as many political points as possible. Lesniak says Christie has already started making barriers for the NJ online gaming bill to go through.

“Christie is putting the future of A.C. in jeopardy because of his overriding concern for support from [Sheldon] Adelson, a right-wing money machine of Newt Gingrich and right-wing causes; Caesars, a huge contributor based in Nevada; and Woody Johnson, Jets owner and NFL opponent of sports gaming,” said Lesniak in an email last week.

Two more pros have announced their determination to take part in the highly anticipated The Big One For One Drop during this year's World Series of Poker. Sam Trickett and Andrew Robl have both tweeted this week about their decision to join Tom Dwan, Patrik Antonius, Daniel Negreanu, and Tony G, along with a number of other pros and wealthy businessmen, in a $1 million buy-in event.

Although the number of players who have made their first deposit confirming their participation in the event has already reached 40, the WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart told PokerNews.com that the 48 player cap will not be extended. The Big One for One Drop will take off July 1st with the final table being broadcast live on ESPN on July 3rd with a 15 minute delay.

To Forgive or Not to Forgive Lederer and Ferguson?

On Wednesday, May 9th, Rich Ryan published a piece on PokerNews.com about the people's inclination to forgive some sports athletes of their wrong doings if they serve their sentences and pay their debts to society. In this piece Ryan asked the following question: “If everybody who has $ on FTP receives every cent that's frozen, what would Howard and Chris have to do to be forgiven?”

He also asked the same on Twitter and unsurprisingly most of the replies wished Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer jail time, bodily harm, and even death.

However, Ryan used some examples of famous American athletes who were accused and even sentenced for various offenses, but were forgiven once they've served their sentences or were discharged. Ryan says that perhaps the same should apply to the Full Tilt Poker executes if the players are fully repaid. There's just one tiny, but very important detail – if PokerStars and the U.S. Department of Justicedeal actually goes through and Full Tilt players get their money back it will not be Ferguson and Lederer's merit. So would they really deserve your forgiveness?

This year's World Series of Poker will be more fun and player-friendly, the WSOP executives declared. They say the players don't feel comfortable at the tables anymore due to various restrictions and therefore this year will see some of them revoked. From now on players will be allowed to discuss their cards during the game which was not allowed in the past five series. Plus, they will have the freedom to celebrate their victories. In a reasonable manner, of course.

“We tightened poker up so much at the table that players were afraid to use verbal strategy to out-maneuver their opponents, which has always been an integral part of poker in every single poker game dating back to the Wild West,” said Tournament Director Jack Effel. “I think it takes poker back to its fundamental place and intent when it comes to strategy.”

The WSOP will also expand the number of poker tables to 500 as well as introduce some new events including the Big One For One Drop; the WSOP's first-ever ante-only NLHE; a four-handed NLHE; and a “mix-max” NLHE.

In the latest Daniel Negreanu Weekly Rant you can see him in a couple of strange places including one where Negreanu is laying in bed late at night in his PJs; sitting in his brother's kitchen showing off birds. The reason being Daniel is back in Toronto for the Spring Championship of Online Poker (because he can't play it in the US!) and staying at his brother's house.

Although the video was made a few hours before Negreanu's heads-up Limit Hold'em match up against rUaBot on PokerStars, he already had a feeling the game would not go well. Now we know he was right. This and Daniel's incredible ability of telling his opponents' hands once again leaves you wondering if Negreanu doesn't actually posses psychic powers.

Watch it:

2012 Gaming Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

On Tuesday, May 8th, the American Gaming Association (AGA) announced the names of four people inducted into this year's Gaming Hall of Fame. The honorable list includes a former gaming regulator and co-owner of Resorts Atlantic City, Dennis Gomes; former gaming attorney and the longest serving Nevada state senator William J. Raggio, Jr.; the Canadian billionaire and founder of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberté; and Julian Serrano, a Las Vegas celebrity chef for a number of Strip restaurants. The inductees will be introduced into the Gaming Hall of Fame at the 24th annual Gaming Hall of Fame Charity Gala on October 23th in Las Vegas.

“Without its visionaries, innovators and ardent supporters, the gaming industry as we know it today would not exist, and we are proud to honor Dennis, Bill, Guy and Julian as men who have helped shape our business.” said the AGA president and CEO, Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. after announcing the four inductees.

Go to the American Gaming Association's official website for the full announcement.

The Las Vegas Monorail Survives

It seems that the Las Vegas Monorail will be giving you rides from one casino to another after all. Although just a few weeks ago the company was on the verge of going under due to its $650 million debt, on Wednesday, May 9th, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Bruce Markell announced that the company's latest reorganization plan is feasible. This was already a second attempt to resurrect the company as the same judge had rejected the first Monorail reorganization plan back in November, 2011.

“What matters is that the monorail produces more cash than it consumes, and that Las Vegas Monorail Co. has shown that it is more likely than not that it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future,” Markell said in the announcement.

Every boy dreams of being an astronaut. Billionaire and philanthropist Guy Laliberté maintained that dream until he was wealthy enough to become the first Canadian space tourist. In 2009 Laliberté went to the international space station and in just one week you will be able to see the whole thing for yourself in a documentary called “Toucher le Ciel” or “Touch the Sky.”

The movie debuts on May 18th and we're now sharing the trailer with you. What does this have to do with poker, you ask?

Just like in 2009 when Laliberté went to space for a noble reason of raising awareness on water issues on Earth and his One Drop foundation, this year he is the man behind the idea of the biggest-ever poker event – The Big One for One Drop.

Winner Poker Gives Away $30K

All summer long Winner Poker and PokerWorks are running exclusive freeroll tournaments with a total prize pool of $30,000. Every week from May 23rd to August 8th you will get to play for $2,500 in cash prizes in a free tournament. You just need to sign up to Winner Poker via Poker Works and collect at least 150 points to get started. The qualification period for the first event has already begun and if you collect 150 points before May 21st you will receive three $30,000 Winner Wednesday Dozen tickets. But that's just for starters – earn 150 points more and another three tickets will be granted to your account.